Sunday, August 31, 2008

Since I truly deeply love Cathy Cat my stash is growing and growing and there is no end in sight *sighs*.

The stuff is just too cute to even try to resist.. Their quality is just fantastic and the cases are some of the most gorgeous ones around so it's definitely worth diving into that brand if you're unfamiliar with it.

I already reviewed all my Cathy Cat items here, here and here (click on links) but have added some items to my stash ever since and more stuff will be coming in soon =X

-Glitz Quilt Shadow:

This comes now in 3 color variations and after trying the quint in #01 (I reviewed 01 already in my first CC post) I decided to finally lay my hands on 02, too (and just found 03 on Gmarket!)The online swatches I saw for this don't do this beautiful quint justice. It's not as warm and washed out as it looks in some pics.The texture is very silky and pearly with good pigment. I personally think that the color combination is very pretty and easy to work with no matter if you want to wear all 5 shades or just 1 or 2 for a simple but gorgeous eye look.

I reviewed this in color 02 already. This has a silky texture with a pearl finish and a sheerer texture (the shadows show up beautifully though).

01 is a trio of pink, white and lilac (looks more plum in pics but when applied turns more into a neutral beautiful light purple)

I paid about US$16 for my trio

-Glitz Ball Shadow:

If you're following my blog you'll know that I already purchased 4 of these as I think the quality is just fantastic. Great pigment, shimmery finish and great blendability.I have to say that one of the 2 new ones I purchased is a disappointment but that still means 5 out of 6 colors are great so that's not too bad.

08: That's the one I am disappointed with. It's a very sheer gritty glittery light green and a medium silvery blue (this one is lovely though). The light shade is just a total turn-off.

This is a bulky metallic steel gray compact with the big white Cathy Cat C emblem on the cover.This powder comes in 2 colors #01 and #50. #01 is a light beige/cream combination whereas #50 (the one I got) is a combination of white and pale purples so it makes a good highlighter. However there is quite some fine glitter in the compact so in bright sunlight you can get that disco ball effect =X

This is scented with a really annoying cheap strong perfume. I wish they'd have left it out =(

Comes with an extra puff (total 2 puffs)I paid about US$19

-Double Long Lash Mascara:

I actually wanted the volumizing mascara but seems in the drop-down menu of like a gazillion mascaras (and all written in Korean) I picked the wrong mascara.

Anyway, not a biggie as this mascara is quite nice. It comes with a primer and mascara in 1 wand. The primer is white and does a nice job of lengthening and adding a bit of volume. The mascara is a good dark black and really enhances my lashes. It's not the most fantastic mascara I tried but holds my curl and gives me pretty lashes so I can't complain at all.I paid about US$17

-Dream Rouge:

Unfortunately I can't say much about this lipstick as the color I picked is totally off for me (too orange). It looked like a lovely pinky peach on their website but their swatches obviously suck big time. Color is #342.Cost me about US$12

-Dream Rouge Gloss:

I was luckier with my choice of the Dream Rouge Gloss. #142 is a gorgeous deep pink with LOTS of pigment and a nice glossy shimmery finish. Definitely a winner (and the light fruity scent is very nice, too)I paid about US$12

You can expect another post on Cathy Cat as soon as I get my next order lol

Saturday, August 30, 2008

So far the only items from VOV Castledew I tried were the eyeshadow palettes for super jacked up prices from eBay. Now that Gmarket is my best friend I decided to venture further into that brand as the whole line is quite affordable and cute so definitely worth checking out.

There was also a promotion of the Color Song eyeshadow singles so I picked up 3 of them, too.

When you buy 3 eyeshadow singles (from either the Castledew or Color Song eyeshadow ranges) then you'll get a free trio palette case (nice sturdy case with mirror and applicator) when you purchase from certain sellers. Also the price of the 3 shadows was less than if I would have bought them individually so it was a pretty sweet deal.

-Color Song and Castledew Pearl Up Eyeshadows:

I decided to purchase 3 eyeshadows from the cheapest range called Color Song (which also has the biggest color variety) and 3 from the slightly pricier Castledew Pearl Up Eyes variety.I have to say it's worth paying the 1 buck more to get the Castledew shadows. They have a very fine silky texture, almost buttery to the touch. They have good pigment and blend really nicely.

The Color Song shadows however have a chalkier texture and 2 of the colors are nearly matte and very sheer. The metallic taupe I picked up is very pretty though.

Color Song Eyeshadows:

9810 White Christmas: Pure matte white with a sheer finish. I actually ordered 9801 which is a pearl off-white =/7245 Dolls Brown: Beautiful metallic taupe with plummy undertones. Good pigment and silky texture.7343 Talking Violet: The online swatch looks like a bright cool purple but in reality it's a medium purple with a slightly pearly finish.

Castledew Pearl Up Eyes:

9810 White Mas (?): White with a pearl finish and good pigment.9245 Dolls Brown: Similar to the Color Song version but has more brown tones. Good pigment and pretty metallic finish.9838 Castle Black Pearl: Glittery charcoal gray. I don't like the glitters that much and the pigment could be a bit better. Good for outer V definition though.

I paid 7900 Won for the Color Song shadows & case and 10900 for the Castledew shadows & palette.It seems there are 3 different styles of palette cases available (randomly selected) but I got the same one twice (it's the one I like most anyway)I ordered 3 of the Castledew Extreme Pearl shadows & free case for 10600 Won from another seller (the other one didn't have the Extreme Pearl shadows) and I am very curious how they'll perform.

-Castledew Chiffon Base:

This comes in the same style of pot like Jill Stuart's Jelly Eyes with the difference that the cap shows the same color as the shadow inside.This is a strange sponge-y eyeshadow with a soft matte finish and medium pigment. It is similar to Banila Co's Eye Love Marshmallow shadows but it's not so greasy and creases only a bit.

Anyway, I am not loving this and don't know why I insist on trying out those kind of shadows as various brands I tried failed on me.I paid 6300 Won. Out of the 5 available colors I picked #5 which is a pale purple.

-Castledew Volume Tint Balm:

This comes in the same style pot like Jill Stuart's Jelly Eyes, too. It's a quite thick gloss with a very nice smooth long-lasting finish. It has a light fruity scent and I really love this little balm!

I got color #2 which looks like a hot bubblegum pink in the pot but turns a light pink with a very pearly finish. I'd have preferred a slightly darker pink but it works for me. I will definitely try out #3 (rose) next as this stuff costs only 3100 Won.

-Castledew Over Setting Gloss:

These come in very pretty tubes similar to T'estimo's lip glosses. The texture is smooth and creamy but lasts quite well. My lips look very glossy and full when wearing them. There is a light scent added (reminds me of fruit tea). I am very pleased with both colors I picked as both have decent pigment and a gorgeous shimmery (not glittery) finish.The applicator is noteworthy as it's a fuzzy doe-foot applicator with a small whole in the middle. I keep seeing those applicators more and more so it seems they're getting popular among cosmetic brands. It does a good job distributing enough gloss evenly.

#12 Topaz Pink (top of the pic): A light peachy pink with fine shimmer.#28 Midnight Violet: I LOVE this gloss. I have no color like this! It's a cool-toned mauvey rose with golden shimmer.It seems there are quite a a few glitter shades available and I hope none of the shades I ordered (I couldn't resist picking up 2 more) contains chunky glitters.I paid 8900 for both glosses which is a steal as this means each gloss cost me about US$4 (add about 1-2 bucks for shipping as I ordered a lot so shipping got quite low per item).Both glosses come in different boxes. I don't know which one is the newer one =)

Overall I am quite happy with the lippies, the eyeshadows aren't the best but the metallic taupes are worth it for sure!I'll review my other Castledew stuff once it arrives.

It comes in a basic rectangular pearly pink compact with 2 compartments. One contains the powder and a mirror and on top is a powder puff.

The powder has a fine texture and some scattered micro glitters throughout but they aren't really obvious in natural or normal artificial lighting (however, they're more apparent in bright sunlight).The scent of the powder bugs me a bit as it's quite strong and smells like cheap perfume =/

This comes in 3 colors of which I chose the lightest #19. It's a good light beige that blends into my natural skin color beautifully. The coverage is decent but not overly impressive. It does a good job evening out my skin after applying BB Cream and concealer but I couldn't use the powder on its own that's sure.

All in all it's a decent powder but nothing to write home about.I purchased this for about US$11 from Gmarket as it was supposed to come with a free lip gloss. However to my dismay the seller forgot to include my lip gloss =( (it's the same one from whom I bought my Jadilla J stuff so probably he forgot my lip gloss due to all the Jadilla gifts =P)

I compared a total of 17 BB Creams so far, and today I am presenting you 5 more reviews. I actually have reviewed 4 of them already but I personally think it's helpful to see their swatches side by side. I won't go into details as I thoroughly reviewed them already and I will provide you with the links to my reviews.

I have already reviewed this here.It's a thick balmy cream with sheer-medium coverage which makes my skin feel super smooth but it's more suitable for colder months due to the thick texture.70ml

2: Cosline Total Sun Base 3 in 1 SPF36 PA++:

I have already reviewed this here.This is super sheer and has a weird light peachy color. Has good sun protection so it's a decent sun cream but doesn't perform like a real BB Cream.70g

3: Skin79 Lovely Girl BB Cream:

This is brand new and I haven't reviewed this yet. I got this together with a BB Pact from Skin79 for around US$13 or so so it was very cheap for me. It comes in a cute light pink squeeze tube with silver butterflies and hearts printed on.The box says that this products is soothing redness, irritated skin and provides even coverage.It contains Mulberry and Marigold extract. It's supposed to control oil through their porosity powder and naturally covers blemishes while providing your skin with moisture through added Chlorella extract and Herb Complex.This BB Cream is formulated for younger girls but hey, even at age 27 I love cute packaging =PThe cream has a light pleasant scent, fresh and slightly fruity. It's a rather thick cream with little bit of a waxy feeling. However the coverage isn't bad (about sheer-medium) and the color match is very good for me.The squeeze tube has the annoying habit to ooze a bit so the cap gets messy quickly if you don't wipe it after every use.All in all this is a good basic BB Cream for starters and young girls.50g

4: Jadilla J Whitening BB Plus SPF30 PA++:

I already reviewed this here.This is the darkest BB Cream in today's lot of 5 BB Creams but the color match is fine and the coverage is good (about medium). Comes in 2 colors of which I chose #1.50ml

I want to add that none of my BB Creams lasts more than 5 hours (now in the still somewhat hot and sweaty summer weather) unless I set them with a bit of powder or twin/triple cake powder. Then they last pretty much all day long. I think now that the weather starts to turn cool and will stay cold for the next half year it might be not necessary to set the BB Cream.My face makeup routine currently consists of makeup base, BB Cream, concealer, powder (or triple cake etc.) blush and highlighter and I am very happy with the results.

Friday, August 29, 2008

I've been interested in trying the BB cream by Cathy Cat for some time now but didn't find it on Gmarket. Recently I stumbled across the improved It BB Cream Season 2 SPF10 with a free little deluxe sample size of their Apple Tree Liquid Cleansing Foam all for around US$18 so I couldn't resist (I have now seen the BB Cream alone for about US$2 more so I think I scored a pretty little deal).

I am very impressed with the overall quality of Cathy Cat makeup and love their cute packaging however the BB Cream comes in a quite simplistic white squeeze bottle. I think it looks nice nonetheless but Cathy Cat have proven to be more inventive packaging-wise.

The It BB Cream Season 2 contains a whopping 70ml which is double the amount other brands give you (e.g. Banila Co, Innisfree). This makes it very affordable for the price and making it one of Cathy Cat's cheaper products (as overall the brand is on the slightly pricier side)The BB Cream is quite thick and smells similar to Nivea cream (similar, not exactly like it). It's one of the few very light toned BB creams that doesn't have a grayish undertone (which btw flatters me but I read complaints about it, too). The cream has a balmy feeling and makes my skin super smooth.The coverage could be a bit stronger but it evens out my skin nicely and leaves a lightly dewy finish (due to the balmy quality).Overall a nice BB Cream, rather suited for the cooler months due to the thicker more emollient texture.

The Apple Tree Liquid Cleansing Foam comes in a 15ml pump bottle and is indeed a quite liquid milky white gel. It lathers up nicely creating a good foam. It has a fruity scent and cleanses well but I don't see something particularly outstanding about this. The bottle is cute though and the size is perfect for traveling or taking it to the gym.

Both items come packaged in a cute black and pink Cathy Cat box which I just can't toss =)

I will post a compacrison of 5 new BB Creams within the next few days where I'll show you a swatch of the Cathy Cat BB Cream.

Laneige introduced a few very pretty items for Fall 2008 and being a fan of them I decided to pick up the 2 that looked like they would be the prettiest and most flattering with my colorings.

Laneige is sticking faithfully with their "Snow Crystal" theme for some time now and the newest items follow in the same style.

There are 4 items in the collection: 2 eyeshadow trios, a highlighter and blush duo and a face powder.I picked up one of the eyeshadow trios and the blusher & highlighter combo.

-Snow Magic Box - Eye Shadow:

The cute smooth (=fingerprint city) silver compact has 2 layers, one containing the eyeshadow trio and one with 3 different high quality brushes. There is a brush, a sponge and a dual-ended small pointy sponge and small brush applicator. There is also a small dangling snow crystal attached. So pretty!This could be such a nice trio if the guys at Laneige wouldn't have totally failed with the lightest color. It has zero pigment and just consist of some scattered glitters which (in my opinion) looks super ugly. Really, I hate that shade. According to Laneige this is just a top coat shade for the 2 other shadows but they could just left this out as it's totally useless for me.The other 2 shades however are very smooth and nicely pigmented with a fine shimmer finish.

The trio I chose (#01 Magic Silver/Magic Blue/Magic Brown) contains a silver glitter shade, a minty light blue and a very pigmented soft neutral bronze brown.I purchased this for about US$27.

-Snow Magic Box - Blusher & Brighter:

This has 3 layers but otherwise the packaging is the same.The first layer contains a highlighter consisting of 3 pastel colors, a blush in the colors orange, pale pink and pink and a compartment with a dual-ended blush-highlighter brush.The texture of the blush and highlighter is very fine and silky with super fine shimmer. The problem with this is the significant lack of pigment in the blush. As I mentioned before I prefer sheer-medium pigmented blushes but this really is soooo light! After about 10 swipes I get a pretty soft cheek color with a light silky sheen but there is no way to really build up good color. Nonetheless the result is beautiful but I think if you're any darker than NC20 you'll get desperate with the blush.The highlighter however is gorgeous and quite pigmented and leaves a pretty glow.All in all a decent product but for the relatively high price-tag it should be better!

I paid about US$35 for mine.

I am a bit disappointed with Laneige's fall collection but the products aren't bad. They just didn't live up to my expectations.

As always there is a leaflet included showing how to wear the products (also in English)